We don’t have to tell you that you can celebrate Black history every month of the year, but here are 22 ways we are especially excited to mark Black History Month in 2021. Though the pandemic has forced many events online, there are plenty of musical celebrations, museum events for learning, and self-guided tours for soaking up history.

EAT, DRINK, & BE MERRY

BUY BLACK: There is no shortage of Black-owned restaurants in the District — and this a good moment to start to prioritize supporting Black businesses in the District. This month, make your way through our own list of favorite spots include DCity Smokehouse, FishScale, and Buna Coffeehouse. For more lists, you can also explore lists from Washington.org, Feed the Malik, and Yure Place. (Locations & prices vary)

COYABA DANCE: In late February, join Dance Place and their resident company Coyaba Dance Theater. The performance will focus on contemporary and traditional West African Dance, performed by local dancers and streamed into your living room. Expect high energy showcases of West African culture, and a mix of recent and archival footage. The initial show will be streamed on February 20 and rebroadcast the following day. (February 20, 6:30 p.m., FREE)

OPERA: This month, InSeries is hosting a series of virtual performances lifting up Black performers, composers, and artists. Events will include a concert highlighting women and Black composers and a recital that combines performance with a guided tour of Black history locations in the District. (FREE with subscriptions available for exclusive content)

BLACK WINES: On February 6, join Marcia McColl and the Capital Wine School as they mark Black History Month by exploring twelve wines from Black-owned businesses. The event is virtual and on Zoom; participants can pick up their wine samples from Capital Wine School in Friendship Heights the day before. (February 6, 6:30 p.m., $75.00)

SING OUT: Choral Arts and Washington Performing Arts Gospel Choirs are co-hosting Living the Dream… Singing the Dream, this year’s annual concert that “give(s) voice to the voiceless.” Now in its 33rd year, the annual choral tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. will be a collaboration of styles and cultures. The performance will be conducted by Scott Tucker, Michele Fowlin, and Theodore Thorpe III. (February 19, 8 p.m., FREE)

LET FREEDOM SING: The Howard Gospel Choir of Howard University is performing its annual concert series, Let Freedom Sing, to “celebrate the African American experience in music.” The production is a collaboration with the local organization Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus (THEARC), and will stream virtually. (February 19, 6 p.m., FREE)

MUSEUM EVENTS

ANACOSTIA COMMUNITY MUSEUM: This month, be sure to engage with Anacostia Community Museum’s range of virtual programming to learn more about Black history and its leaders in the region. Events include a conversation with author Alcione M. Amos and her new book Barry Farm-Hillsdale in Anacostia: A History African American Community and an event with actress and author Morgan Avery McCoy — who appeared in 2019’s Harriet — about Harriet Tubman and the lesson her life still offers. (Dates vary; FREE)

NMAAHC: Although in-person events are still on hold at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the museum is still hosting a series of events and learning opportunities to celebrate Black History Month. Start by tuning in to a conversation with authors Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain about their new book Four Hundred Souls, a collection of writings from over 90 authors about the four-hundred-year history of African Americans. Other events and activities  this month include conversations on prison reform and a poetry workshop. (Dates vary; FREE)

VIRTUAL FESTIVAL: The Association for the Study of African American Life and History is hosting its first month-long virtual festival to celebrate Black History Month. The lineup includes free community events such as panel and author conversations. The marquee event is the ticketed conversation, “Finding Our Roots in African American History: A conversation with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham” at the end of the month. (Dates vary; $0 – $150) 

UNDERGROUND RAILROAD: On February 14, Washington DC History & Culture is live-streaming a history tour about Frederick Douglass and the Underground Railroad in Maryland. Participants can go on a virtual journey that includes Fredrick Douglass heritage sites in the District, along with conversations about the impact Douglass and the Railroad had on local history and culture. John Muller, author of  Frederick Douglass in Washington, D.C.: The Lion of Anacostia, will be hosting the event. (February 14, 6 p.m., FREE)

SELF-GUIDED TOURS

MURALS DC: Have you ever wanted to learn more about the murals that tell stories and history across the city? This month, head to the U Street Corridor — once referred to as “Black Broadway” — for a self-guided tour through the neighborhood’s contributions to the MuralsDC Project. The tour features art that celebrates William and Winifred Lee and their flower shop (one of the oldest Black-owned shops in the District), Ben of Ben’s Chili Bowl, Roger Wendell (the “Wailin’ Mailman” who can be seen playing the saxophone on 14th street), and more. (FREE)

MARY MCLEOD: The Mary McLeod Bethune Council House used to be home to the Black educator and activist known for helping to set the standards for modern Black colleges. Her home in the District Council House was also the first headquarters of the National Council of Negro Women. Now, her home is a museum dedicated to her work and advancements in civil rights. Although the physical building is closed due to the pandemic, D.C. residents can still celebrate her this month by taking a virtual tour of the museum. (FREE)

DUKE STREET BLACK HISTORY TRAIL: Head to Alexandria to follow the Duke Street tour to learn about the Black history that shaped Northern Virginia. The path begins at the Edmonson Sisters sculpture and ends at African American Heritage Park. You can find a guide to the trail from Visit Alexandria here. (FREE)

AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE TRAIL: In 2003, then-mayor of Washington, D.C. Vincent Gray presented the African American Heritage Trail, a walkable route through some of the historic sites in the District. The project was a collaboration in part with Cultural TourismDC and the District Department of Transportation. Although it has been nearly 20 years since the trail was first published, you can still follow its original tours through in areas including U Street, Anacostia, and Brookland. (FREE)

AFRICAN AMERICAN CIVIL WAR MEMORIAL: Add to your Black history education by visiting the outdoor African American Civil War Memorial on Vermont Ave. The Memorial was erected in honor of the United States Colored Troops and lists the names of the over 200,00 members who fought during the war. The accompanying indoor African American Civil War Museum is located next door, but please note that you must register for a tour timeslot ahead of time. (African American Civil War Memorial, FREE)

MALCOLM X PARK: Malcolm X Park, originally called Meridian Hill Park, earned its colloquial name after Angela Davis proposed the change during a rally in 1969. Although its name change has not been officially recognized by the National Park Service, the location has still served as a center for Black culture and organizing in the city. This month, when strolling around the park, use Washington Parks & People’s guide to understanding the park’s role in Black history. (Malcolm X Park, FREE) 

FREDRICK DOUGLAS HOME: Frederick Douglass lived in where is now Southeast D.C. from 1877 until his death in 1895. Although in-person guided tours are not available during the coronavirus pandemic, you can still explore the local history by taking a virtual tour from your home. The 360-degree tour was established via a partnership between the National Park Service and Google. (FREE)

PRINCE GEORGE’S AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM: Expand what you know about local Black history by (virtually) touring Prince George’s African American Museum & Cultural Center. The physical museum is closed due to coronavirus restrictions, but in lieu of in-person programming, they have a series of tours that visitors can stream online. (FREE)

BOOK CLUBS

DC PUBLIC LIBRARY: The D.C. Public Library system is marking Black History Month by celebrating the culture of the Black family through arts and literature. Throughout the month, residents can tune into virtual events that include everything from a teen open mic night, to author conversations, to live-streamed storytimes. Participants are also invited to check out materials from their recommended reading lists (broken out into subtopics including adults, teenagers, and children) and their free-to-stream film library. (FREE)

STORY TIME: Each month, Historic Alexandria hosts a story time for younger Northern Virginia residents. This month the event will feature a reading of Harriet and the Promised Land by Jacob Lawrence. Please note that although the event is usually held at the Alexandria Black History Museum, the series remains virtual due to the pandemic. (February 2, 10 a.m., FREE)

SANKOFA: The local bookstore Sankofa was founded in 1998 by Shirikiana and Haile Gerima who produced the acclaimed film by the same name. This Friday, the store is continuing work in elevating Black voices by hosting a conversation between Renee’ Charlow and Dr. Halifu Osumare about Osumare’s memoir, Dancing in Blackness. The event will be live-streamed via Zoom and on Facebook (@SankofaDC). (February 5, 6 p.m., FREE)

LOYALTY BOOKSTORE: Fill your bookshelves with some help from Black-owned Loyalty Bookstore, run by Hannah Oliver Depp. The shop has locations in Petworth and Silver Spring and works to elevate the voices of Black, Queer, and PoC writers PoC. You can also tune in to their live book talks, including the February 17 conversation between Gabriel Bump and Deesha Philyaw. The authors will be be celebrating the paperback release of Bump’s Everywhere You Don’t Belong — with donations going to Black Lives Matter DC. (FREE events, book prices vary)